Conceptual understanding of programming designs

[steeladept]

At least I hope the title fits what I am trying to wrap my head around.

Let's start at the beginning.  I have been learning Java for quite some time, just because I wanted to be able to program something that isn't in a book, but rather in my head.  I have been generally successful at learning it, at least the code part; but now I am looking at Cloud implimentations because, among other things, I am a big fan of VMware and their purchase of Cloud Foundry puts them squarely in the cloud developer space as well as virtualization space.

This is where I am at a loss that I am looking for resource help in understanding concepts.  Cloud Foundry (at least under VMware) is based on and recommends SpringSource Tool Suite.  This is essentially just the Spring Framework built into a customized Eclipse IDE.  I have gone through some of the tutorials, using this IDE (so they match up) but they are completely task based, and since I don't understand the framework or the concept, I don't know what tasks I am looking at, when or where I would use them, or anything else.  The whole framework idea is kinda sketchy to me anyway, I mean I understand it is essentially providing the Java resources to multiple programs at the same time via a fabric architecture, but that doesn't explain why I would need to worry about it as a developer at the core of my programs, does it?  I am not really questioning why they exist as much as how do these different things interact with programs making them beneficial?  I would ask more specifically, but I feel like it is one of those things where I don't know what I don't know so I don't know what to ask.  Any help?

Does this question even make sense?  I am not sure it does even to me after rereading it...

[steeladept]

Well persistence pays off sometimes...

If anyone else is having issues, it is a Tomcat Server service.  The SpringSource Spring Framework is the set of classes that extends the tomcat server to take advantage of their tcServer.

Now, knowing that, I revise the question.  Can anyone explain why it is advantageous to use an application server such as Tomcat?  I know it is, I just don't really understand the concept beyond it issues programs like a web server issues web pages (described that way by a peer of mine).  Is that it?  If that is all there is to that, then why is that better than, say, having the software downloaded? Okay, I can see the advantage of not having to install the software, but portable software exists too.

I think I just answered my own question...How do you maintain your licenses across portable software.  I am dense, but I get around it eventually!  Anyone out there want to add anything?  

[edrez]

I have been programming a lot of Java for the longest time and never thought of developing cloud computing on my own. My most recent additions to my arsenal would probably still be maximizing computer cores for programming using threads.  They are not only threads but they are allocated to using available cpu cores for parallel computation.

Pardon me if this post was irrelevant to yours but it was just a good food for thought.

[steeladept]

 

No problem.  We do have a tendency to go far afield here and there.  Glad it helped provoke thought.